Time Will Tell
by KasperRene
Summary: A mission that will bring Kenpachi to his knees has been announced for him and two new members of the shinigami family. Will they lead him to realize his true powers? Or will they doom him to be lost in it?
1. Time Will Tell Ch 1 The mission

His gnarled cane smashes the ground. It sends a ripple of air around the room. This is their cue.

The two single file lines on each of his sides are at attention; waiting for the captain commander to speak.

"As you know, seeing a hollow make it as far as Sereitei is rare. But there have been multiple sightings around the Rukongai Districts, specifically numbers 99 through 42. The descriptions of the hallow are generally the same, so it is safe to assume that this hollow is making its way towards us. Because it has gotten so close, I would like to send a team to investigate. Captain Nenhaku Aia of the ninth division, Captain Kenpachi Zaraki of the eleventh and Captain Tsubasa Roka of the third, you are to see to it that this hollow is eliminated; Each one of you may pick a squad member to accompany you."

The three squad captains bow to Captain-Commander Yamamoto and in moments have flash-stepped to their respective quarters.

Yamamoto's voice resonates through the room.

"Any questions?"

Captain Sui-Feng steps forward and bows. "Tai-chou, are you sure it is best to send our two new captains? They have only been on the battle field once before."

"I am sure they are competent enough to handle themselves. That being so, I sent Zaraki for that very reason. He is well seasoned. I know the majority of you held this very question. Trust in your new team members. They have earned the positions they hold and are prepared for what is in store. Now, I have many things to tend to. You are all dismissed."

* * *

><p>"You cant take Ikkaku and not bring me!"<p>

Kenpachi releases his katana from his sheath and points it in his direction.

"I was ordered to bring one person and that is all I'm taking. I'll take you if you like, Yumichika. I could care less. I don't need either of you."

Ikkaku jumps up from his floor mat in a flurry of anger.

"NO WAY! You're bringing me like you originally planned! Yumichika, you can go a couple days without me, man up. This is my chance."

"I wasn't going for me, it was for you, you self-centered egotistical bastard. I could go forever without seeing your bald head, but you couldn't last without my stunning face for two hours."

Kenpachi smiles, baring all of his teeth. The scar on his left eye lifts as he feels the intrigue build.

"Then, why don't you two battle it out?"

"Fine by me!" scoffs Ikkaku as he pulls himself into a lunge, both hands clipped tightly around his red hilt.

As Yumichika is about to draw his own, a pressure slams them both in to the ground. Thinking it was Kenpachi, they look up in frustration, but to their disdain, it is not someone they are willing to fight.

"Rock, paper, scissors sounds more appropriate seeing as you're still in your chambers. Would you really destroy your place to sleep over something this dumb?"

More irritated that the other two, Kenpachi sneaks a peek at the woman from the corner of his eye. He mentally grimaces at her internal light - her airy, bouncy attitude which delivers more than one confusing blow each time he lays eyes on her.

"No one asked you Aia; you ruined a perfectly good fight."

She smiles, plumping her small, rosy cheeks and revealing hidden dimples that he'd noticed too many times before.

"We have paperwork to fill out, Kenpachi. Just pick your man and we'll be off."

"No. I want to see them fight." He curls his fists and puts them on his hips. "Lets go boys!"

In one swift movement, Aia is at his side. Her five and a half foot stature only enhances Kenpachi's massive body but her riatsu easily matches his in level. She is no longer smiling. Her usually soft eyes glare at Ikkaku and Madarame who stare in amazement at how close she allows herself to get next to their captain.

Both take it as a signal to sort it out amongst themselves and stand up from their hands and knees. While brushing off their robes, they eye each other and scowl but before they can protest both Captains are gone.

"She's worse than Unohana!" growls Ikkaku.

Yumichika smiles and places a finger at his lips.

"But she's very pretty, don't you think? All of her features are so soft and warm in appearance. I bet the captain has noticed. Of course she isn't as beautiful as me..."

Ikkaku puts his hands inside the sleeves of his robe and sighs as he closes his eyes.

"Just shut up already."

* * *

><p>Kenpachi slumps at the desk and shoves the tip of his quill into the desk as if it were a knife. His blatant disinterest in the stacks of paper that sit before him fills the cozy office of the third division. Aia approaches the pile to inspect - a finger pushing up her bottom lip so that she can bite it.<p>

"Well it doesn't really look done..." she goads.

He scowls and looks down at his illegible scribble. "Paperwork isn't necessary. Can we just go kill the damn thing now?"

She bends over, checking for missing information and a length of hair falls from behind her ear. Though she doesn't notice, Kenpachi does and whispers, "Peaches?"

She pulls her head back.

"What?"

He thrusts himself out of the chair, knocking over the cheap desk and all of the files. Taking back his moment of weakness, he shouts, "Pieces! Which pieces did I miss?"

Her eyes are not surprised at his sudden burst of anger, but patient. She remains still for but a second, before giving her carefully thought-over response.

"Well for starters, you didn't put the squad number on any of them. And you also missed a breath just a moment ago. If you're going to act so childish over something as stupid as my shampoo, maybe you aren't fit for the assignment."

A sound at the door interrupts what seems to be the start of a comment from Kenpachi. The two turn their attention to the floral-patterned, paper door. Through the paper, a kneeling body form can be seen.

"Permission to enter, Captain Nenhaku?"

"Permission granted, Shinta. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The door slides open but Shinta remains in a kneeling position, his head bowed as low to the floor as his nose will allow.

"Co captain Kira Izuru apologizes for his lack of enthusiasm over the assignment. He asked that I go in his place... as long as you allow it of course.."

Shinta raises his head in wait for the response and analyzes the mess before him. His eyes widen and he apologizes for his interruption.

"You weren't interrupting anything more than a child's tantrum. But I seem to remember that a hollow has swallowed you before so I am reluctant to let you go, Shinta. We do not know the exact caliber of this hollow as it has avoided our radars and we are only relying on eye witness accounts. I'm sorry, but as your captain, I can't allow your company this time. Please inform Izuru that, though I know he is still dealing with a lot, it is absolutely imperative that he accompany us. I will not take 'No' for an answer."

"Hai."

The door slides closed and the shadow beyond disappears.

Kenpachi feels drowned in the awkward remains of the disrupted fight. Like a puzzle missing the border, he cannot figure out how to re-piece the situation.


	2. Time Will Tell Ch 2 Revelation

Izuru Kira slinks out of his room. For the month that Aia Nenhaku has been with the Gotei 13, he has found refuge in the darkness. The slight mention of Gin shames him and most have learned to avoid tantalization – purposefully or not.

_ I truly believed that he turned evil. I hated him; I wanted to destroy him and make him pay. But all along it was a facade. I never really knew Gin – as a captain or a villain or a hero._

The sorrow crackles through him leaving deep wounds to his insides. _With just a little more pressure_ he thinks. _I could shatter._

"Izuru?"

His heart seizes and his stomach heaves. He wants to run at the sight of her but instead he stays in the same, foolish position that he fell into when Gin took off with Aizen.

_ The pressure._

"I understand you are not feeling the best mentally, but I want you to understand that you can trust me as a captain. Have you talked to Shuhei?"

He licks his lips, searching for the moisture to form and speak his words.

"No," he admits. He looks at his stockinged feet and then back at his new leader. "But may I ask you something?"

She smiles, a welcome to the possible trust he might bestow upon her. Aia is silently elated. Her smile widens, "Of course!"

Aia reaches over and snags one of Izuru's limp hands. They are soft but chilly, like a vanilla ice cream that can barely hold its form under the heat of the Gotei microscope. The genuine smile she gives with closed eyes warms him a little. He gets caught up in the moment and forgets everything except the loose strand of Aia's golden locks.

_She is so much like me_ he scrutinizes. _But does her past haunt her just as easily?_

When her eyes peel open, what appears to be flashes of fatigue and sorrow deluge her eyes. This he takes into account - the clarity of her emerald eyes and how her strong emotions only make them more effervescent. It is not until her first sob that he realizes she has been crying.

He is taken aback by the sudden flood of emotion. In an attempt to pull his hand from between hers, he yanks. She easily holds on to explain herself.

"None of them knew him either. They aren't going to judge you because you were his co captain and never was told or never figured it out. They have no right. Shuhei was a friend; Don't lose him over something as petty as shame. Shame is often not as bad as we think it is."

Somewhere inside of Izuru Kira, a dam breaks. Relief streams through his inner scars, pouring its sweetness into the pit of his often sour stomach. Again, he licks his lips and is surprised that the sugariness has encased him - relaxing his muscles and ridding him of the tension.

"What did yo-" he starts.

But Aia is ready to move on. She has already forgotten the tears, the sudden burst of empathy and the hand-holding. Her face has become a blank slate and she utters that everyone else is ready to leave.

"Are you okay?" he pushes.

"I'm fine, Izuru. Just overworked. I'll be better once we hit the road and get outside, okay?" She smiles reassuringly and turns on her heel to leave. "We have til tomorrow morning to prepare ourselves but lets get an early start, okay?"

* * *

><p>"I haven't yet seen her zanpakuto, even."<p>

Shuhei analyzes his friends sulky demeanor and determines that Izuru is probably oversensitive to all that has happened. Still, Shuhei compares his feelings with Izuru's. They are identical twins – they appear the same until you understand them on a more personal level.

"They say she has more than just her spiritual power going for her. That her shikai will damage a hollow even if she doesn't touch it. No one has seen the entire thing used – they've only seen the end of a stalemate match between her and a rogue gillion. It sounds interesting."

Shuhei's head turns to view their new visitor and Izuru follows suit.

"Do you guys have everything ready?"

To be appropriate while talking to his superior, Shuhei stands and bows slightly.

"Yes, Captain Tsubasa. Everything is in order and the paperwork is finished. We are ready to leave if you are."

Roka grins; his earring glints in the light of the setting sun – appearing to catch fire before their very eyes.

"I can always count on you Shuhei. My end of the paperwork is finished as well."

Roka reaches up and snags a tiny insect from the air - a hell butterfly, with wings as black as Roka's hair. He whispers to the tiny creature with an excited glint in his eye and then releases it from his grasp.

Shuhei eyes him untrustingly. He never could see the eyes of Tosen – his previously blind captain. But he felt that, like a bell on a cat, Tosen's eyes would have given him away the whole time. _No one has that much resolve when they know they are doing what is wrong._

"Why the smile, Tai-chou?"

"Walk and talk with me," Roka spews. His words have begun to sound sugary and sticky, something neither Izuru or Shuhei are truly up for. Out of respect, and necessity to arrive at the meeting point, Izuru stands and both follow closely behind Roka.

The fields they tread on are alive with fresh flowers and an airy mint flavor because of the wild mint that grows. They stride through wave after lapsing wave of spearmint and Captain Roka Tsubasa begins to explain himself.

"Don't you two ever just smile when you are around Aia?"

Shuhei simply says "No" while Izuru lies and cries false an octave higher than his normal speaking voice.

"Why?" asks Roka simply.

Shuhei shrugs. "I've never really spoken to her."

Before Izuru can pitch in another false answer, Roka cuts him off. "We all know that your answer was a yes. Lies are not welcome here in squad six, nor would they be allowed in your own for reasons we're all well aware. It was a simple question, asked by a superior who is not going to sell your answers at the market. Now then," Roka restarts himself. "Why have you smiled when she was around?"

Izuru is quiet. The silence resonates – a ping pong ball between them.

"Because she relates to you in so many ways, right? Because she feels what you feel, sees things how you see?" pushes Roka.

Izuru again looks at his feet and gives a sigh in response. The perfume of the delicate land flows through his nostrils as they round a large hill. A view of a new Senkaimon gate can be seen. It looms over the bodies of three people like a door to a forbidden temple.

Roka finishes the conversation before they approach the rest.

"Everything about Aia is attractive. She's sensitive and tough, mysterious yet you know exactly how she feels. She can make you feel comfortable in any room yet cannot and will not be defeated in battle. She is my best friend for those very reasons."

Roka tucks his hands into his black dress pant pockets, nontraditional from the typical shinigami robe. His air emanates sophistication beyond that of the feudal world they are surrounded by and he is as fresh as the air they breath. His greeting to the others is short, more quiet than he had just been; straight to the point, he waves them all in the direction of the gate and he takes the end like a business man trying to be professional.

Inside, purple goo gushes like a slow moving waterfall. An overpowering scent of despair thickens the air.

"Why did we take a Senkaimon?" asks Ikkaku, who has clearly won the battle over Yumichika.

Aia volunteers herself, dingily as if the space between worlds has brought her down.

"We have somewhere to stop first."

The gate opens on the end, revealing darkness over Karakura town. The living realm, though more contemporary than the spirit world, feels the same - not as constricting as the dimensional gateway.

Aia's face lifts a little and Shuhei realizes that all he has been doing in simply observing. A feeling of belonging lumps in his throat.

_Why wasn't it ever this way with Tosen? _He questions himself. He questions everything he once new. _Will it be better this way?_

Though trust is not something he does easily, he relaxes and keeps within the group, rather than hanging back to analyze every move.

_Maybe it will get better._


	3. Time Will Tell Ch 3 Pointless Acts

Kenpachi Zaraki does not see the point. The uselessness of traveling to the living realm to visit Kisuke Urahara angers him to no end. If he were to have his way, he would be alone and in Rukongai, searching and possibly killing the hollow that is on the loose. He grinds his teeth, flexing the muscle in his jaw.

The others chat silently but Kenpachi chooses to stay out.

"KEN-CHAN! WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK TO BRING MEEEE!"

Yachiru materializes out of nowhere, behind Kenpachi's back. She tugs on his spikes to jingle the bells and frowns. "If you brought me, I could tell them when to stay back and when you're really really mad! Why would you pick baldy over me?"

Ikkaku takes a defensive stance, "Why you!"

Finally, Kenpachi lets out a semi-malicious smile and speaks. "HAHA! There you are Yachiru! Where have you been? Lost in the tunnels of Byakuya's quarters again?" Kenpachi howls in entertainment.

"I can't tell you, Ken-chan! It's mine and Aia's secret!"

Unable to pay attention to one thing very long, Yachiru starts a new topic and pulls out a lolipop from her robe sleeve. Between licks she begs. "Can I stay with you guys now? I don't... want to go back and... play with Maki-Maki. Maybe we... can visit Ichi and Big-Booby!" An array of colors spirals around her tiny mouth and her teeth have become blue.

The only one who seems opposed is Ikkaku. The other 5 smile and nod, welcoming a seventh (and very colorful) member to their small group. A look of strain comes across Aia's usually calm face but again, no one notices

* * *

><p>.<p>

Yachiru bounces up and down, bashing Jinta on the head with his own bat.

"Knock that off and give it too me!" He cries at the oblivious child.

His arm swings and knocks an unsuspecting Ururu on the back. She lets out a cry of surprise but slyly drops and swings her leg around, connecting with Jinta's face.

Kisuke Urahara steps in to prevent an all-out brawl between three children. To Yachiru, he presents a paddle ball and to the others, chores around the shop. Ururu goes without complaint, her usual quiet, pushover self returning from the wallop she just gave Jinta. Jinta curses his master and stalks off, planning to hide and let Ururu finish his chores.

"Now then!" booms Kisuke cheerily. "This is what I wanted to give you!"

In his hand, he holds a small vial. It shimmers faintly in the pale lighting of the shop.

"Is that the specimen vial you wanted to give us?" Aia asks.

Kisuke looks at her for a moment, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. He passes over it, bends down and hands the vial to her, smiling knowingly.

"Correct."

After straightening himself up, he announces to the rest of the group. Your mission is simply this: Throw the vile at the hollow and hit it. This will take an immediate sample and travel back to me without your care. I've been analyzing the hollow for quite some time now, but as you know it has to be from a distance since I'm technically no longer allowed in Sereitei."

Shuhei Hisagi asks to examine the vial, and once he has done so looks to Kisuke.

"Just how long have you known the hollow was sneaking around?"

"I was the one who discovered it!" Kisuke claims in hard whisper. "I keep tabs on everyone from afar and when I noticed this creature on the edge of the spirit world, I followed it. I told Mayuri Kurotsuchi he could have all the credit and leave my name out of it, but I want the first sample. Just don't tell him that." He runs his hand over his scruff and throws in something about having promised the first sample away too.

The group of seven turn to each other, giving glances that say they are ready to go when Tessai comes in and invites them all for a fabulous meal. Unable to resist the giants cooking, the readily agree to the wafting smell of fish and sweet rice cakes.

In the next room over, a table is set up with plate after plate of food. An enormous bowl of miso soup sits in the center with a ladle and around it are various dishes, but some are half eaten.

Jinta pops in behind the group, smelling food but his eyes are bombarded by the color red and he goes ballistic. "WHO INVITED THE MOOCHER!" Jinta raises a fist at Renji Abarai and prepares for attack. Tessai has a different idea, though, and pulls Jinta to the kitchen to wash dishes.

Renji looks up, pieces of rice still stuck to his thin lips. "Hey guys!" he greets in a muffled manner. Drool begins to drip from his mouth as there is still food hidden in his cheeks. He is in a modern day school outfit that matches the Karakura school.

"What are you doing here, Renji?" Aia asks stepping ahead of the rest of the group.

He takes another spoonful of something that smells like pork and swallows before he reveals any information. "I'm here on an investigation. It seems there have been some kind of warps appearing in Karakura town. People have been disappearing in the warps but they haven't been found in Hueco Mundo, the Soul Society, the Dangai Precipice World or the Valley of Screams. It seems that there is another world out there or something. That's about it; a normal, jacked up shinigami problem."

His description puzzles them all, but they offer no help. The group of seven have a differen't mission and avoiding commands under Captain Yamamoto could be considered treasonous. After their simultaneous realization, they take pillows at the table and eat – except for Kenpachi, who shoves himself in a corner, stating that he doesn't need to eat to be strong.

The food is exceptional. The smell of cheesy, pork gyoza on udon noodles hangs in the air like the song of a siren, tempting them to take their bites as quickly and deliciously as possible. The yakimono grilled and pan fried dishes are all tinged with a sweet tariyaki or a sweetened soy sauce, something anyone could make, just not as deliciously as Tessai.

Soon after, and much thanks to the rice, they are full and for the most part happy. Yachiru has moved from the table to try and stuff a piece of sweet bread into Kenpachi's mouth, but still he refuses. As if she tried all that she could, the tiny, pink-haired child shrugs and stuffs the entire roll into her own mouth and hops down from his shoulders to lay across her pillow. The air is light, sweet and even Izuru and Shuhei who are not generally the most out-spoken have had their share of laughs.

They wave their goodbyes, heading towards another Senkaimon gate. But before Roka enters, he stops at Renji's side.

"Have you seen Ichigo, lately?"

Renji sighs, his upbeat mood destroyed. "He hasn't been in school much. Now that his powers are gone, he's gone into some kind of slump."

"Do you think he misses Rukia?" Roka asks coyly.

There is a flurry of red hair as Renji flicks his head up to look in Roka's eyes. A potent mixture of jealousy, admiration and anger have turned his brown eyes nearly black. "Why would yo-"

Roka is waved over to the opening gates, so he cuts off Renji and hands him a single, device. A flash drive, though Renji has no idea what the item is. "Give him this, please. Leave it on his window sill or something. Just make sure it gets there."

Roka's dress pants crinkle as he rushes towards the open gates and Renji stares at the piece of technology unwillingly.

It was an order from a superior.

He has no choice but to obey.

* * *

><p>On the other side of the Dangai Precipice world, the group steps out into a clearing between wild shrubs and trees that are clearly untamed. According to Kisuke Urahara they have been brought to the Rukongai District of the Unabridged souls, number 42. Like Junrinan, the area is covered by forest life but in contrast is unfriendly and unwelcoming to visitors.<p>

Before they can break up and search, it seems they have already been found.

Here they all are. The group of seven stand in front of an unusually small hollow. Its stature is that of a short man, but its shape rolls inwards, then outwards, giving it no definite body shape. Its mask, something that looks like a fat man, has large cheeks and many small teeth to fill the open mouth. The entire hollow appeared to be a glutton, ready to eat whatever stood in its path. And when none of the new, tasty morsels lays in for an attack, he chooses his own target. He lunges at the girl with the voluptuous, pasta-like hair and the green candy eyes. He wants her riatsu, something that lures him even more than her delectable appearance.

She does the expected - making her way out of the group, so to protect her friends and unknowingly to the hollow, to avoid them from seeing anything. "There is no escaping Taishoku-ka!" he shrieks in her direction. The hollow, getting hungrier and more ravenous reaches out a bubbling tentacle to her ankle. A foot would make a perfect appetizer before the main course.

Aia pulls her searing ankle away. The hollow's digestive acids have left burned and half-eaten flesh. She pulls out her katana, and without speaking directly to the sword in her hand, reveals a shikai with a silver handle and two blades. The see-through blades overlap barely at two ends, causing the sword to appear slightly longer and very fragile. The handle swirls around itself and Aia's arm, making the two inseparable from each other. Before making her move, Aia analyzes their new setting, making sure that no one is around.

Taishoku-ka springs at Aia once more, this time heading for her throat. He meets her sword, just before her throat and prepares to digest that too. She looks him dead on and in that moment, disappears. Taishoku-ka swings an arm through the air, "You're a tease!"

He is hit on the side. It doesn't hurt. It is just a small, precise tap, and his body sucks in the projectile. But as soon as he tries to dissolve it, it disappears, leaving him even hungrier. He thrashes in anger, screaming all the while about how he can't wait to eat her and relish in the fact that he had taken out another one of the afterlife's bitches.

The others can now be heard through the over-growth, searching for Aia and the rogue Hollow. They stop under a tree, just in time to see Aia slash through the raging hollow and be rained upon by falling ashes that disappear before they touch the ground. Aia knows she has executed her plan with perfect timing and falls to the ground with an apologetic look on her face. Her shikai returns to a regular katana and she replaces it back within her black sheath. "He wasn't that tough. But I did send the sample in. I suppose we're done here?"

After a few sideways glances, no one objects. It is clear that their mission is over and so everyone agrees to head home. Roka steps forward, a hand falling on Aia's shoulder. "Kenpachi, she's been injured and her injury is still active." He motions Kenpachi's eyes towards the ankle that is now almost bone and the skin that is still sizzling and falling off. "You're the strongest and most willing to get your suit dirty. Would you take her to the infirmary?"

Kenpachi huffs in Roka's direction but picks Aia up anyways. A part of him wants to leave her there and see how weak she really is. It wouldn't have been unlike Kenpachi to have abandoned the weak. At this point, the powerlessness of a strong ally would have driven him to be maniacal. He would have gone off in search of a better fight – someone or a group of someones that may have put up a challenge. But the majority of his new conscience takes over; because if he didn't get to fight, he might as well get to smell luscious peaches.


	4. Time Will Tell Ch 4 Familiarity

"Inoue Orihime."

"Hai Sensei!"

"Ishida Uryu."

"Hai."

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

The room is silent. No one looks around for the red-headed boy anymore. No one whispers, asking where he went. No one expects him to come back. The only sounds are heard at the back of the room - are the sighs of Orihime and Keigo Asano.

Orihime replays the same video in her mind. _He fought so bravely. _She sees his long hair as he gives the final blow to Aizen, the evil man who introduced them to everything they loved in a world they couldn't have. _And in return he was betrayed by his own inner self; betrayed by his own zanpakuto._ Tears threaten to fall from her gloomy brown eyes. To prevent them from rushing her she shakes her head and looks back up at the teacher who is just finishing attendance.

To her surprise, the class is looking in her direction.

Her good friend Tatsuki Arisawa reaches over and grabs onto Orihime with one hand and puts the other high into the air. "Ms. Ochi, I think that Orihime needs to be brought to the nurse." Without waiting for a response, Tatsuki pulls Orihime from her tiny desk and out the classroom door. Behind them, Ms. Ochi simply waves goodbye, smiling.

Tatsuki wastes no time in apprehending her sobbing friend. As Orihime uses the wall for support, she hears three words that no one bothered to say all this time. "Go find him." Tatsuki is red in the face, enraged at the play that everyone has put on. Orihime gapes in disbelief.

"But I-"

"There is no excuse. For some reason all of you have ignored his absence as if it doesn't matter when clearly it does! I don't exactly know or remember what the hell happened to him, but I can't stand to watch you guys do this anymore. If you don't go, I will." Still, Orihime doesn't answer. She stands, crouched over, clutching her heart as if it would fall out if she were to move.

Giving a disapproving look, Tatsuki walks away and then breaks into a sprint. _Why? Why is all of this happening? _There is no one to give her an unfavorable look as her clunky school shoes incessantly thump down the hallway. Not a single student makes eye contact as she shoves them aside to get to the door. As if they all know what this break down is leading to, they distance themselves physically and mentally from the intense young woman. _Why won't anyone say anything?_

She breaks free of the school, passes the outside gates and turns down the street towards the Kurosaki clinic._ I told her I'd never let anyone make her cry._

The clinic looks nearly abandoned. The outside is covered in vines and overgrown shrubs as if the entire place has been left to animals.

"ICHIGO!" Tatsuki shouts to an open window on the upstairs floor. A small face peers over the sill and then an arm sticks out in a large wave. In just moments, a not-so-tiny Yuzu has opened the door for Tatsuki and invites her in.

"Where's Ichigo? Tatsuki asks, more calm than she has been in the last five minutes.

Yuzu glances away from Tatsuki to a slender man and needs a moment to recall.

* * *

><p>Everything is much too quite in Sereitei. The calls for hollow defense have stagnated, the Gotei 13 have acquired too much staff, and the reparations on their buildings are almost finished. Many just laze around, something that many shinigami have never experienced. Kenpachi sets his eyes on Aia as she rounds a corner with a stack of paperwork. She limps, favoring her left leg which sets her off balance. As she teeters in one direction, Kenpachi comes up behind her and prevents the disaster.<p>

Aia smiles and thanks him, causing Kenpachi's chest to heave slightly. The foreign response triggers an unexpected response in him, and for once he responds with "You're welcome."

It seems that the whole world has stopped to stare at a dysfunctional Kenpachi Zaraki. Passersby have either ceased to continue their chores or have woken from a sleepy daze just to get a glimpse of something refreshing and to many; ridiculous.

Kenpachi's puffs out his chest, an action that says he's about to yell. Instead, Aia lays a hand on the open part of his robe and he recoils, not expecting the heat of her tiny hand. "Don't yell. Just help." She pushes her full hand towards his gaping eyes and instead of holler, he takes the stack of papers. "We're headed towards my quarters." She starts off in the proper direction, then returns back to her original spot where Kenpachi is awkwardly staring at the pile in his hands. "If you actually bring them, I'll say 'thank you' again."

With that, he simply nods and follows.

On the way, Aia talks of small things, like how the flowers have bloomed nicely and how the fragrance makes her crave the fresh cherries of summer. She speaks highly of everyone who came with to find the hollow but of her disappointment in how it turned out to be less of a challenge. And when they arrive at her room, she asks if he'll come in for tea.

Sweat beads on Kenpachi's brow. He doesn't know whether to tell her he dislikes tea, or to accept an offer that will bring them alone in her chambers. She seems to take his silence as a "yes" and pulls him in by his thumb.

Her room is nothing like what he expects. Instead of a mat on the floor, she has a large wooden structure and what looks like many large mats stacked on top of each other. There are decorations along the walls, many photos of things like lotus flowers and trees and one photo of two small children sitting on the top of a broken wall, pinkies interlocked.

Aia offers him her desk for the papers, which is the only thing normal about the space they are in. She lights the paper lanterns before shutting the door and when she turns around, Kenpachi is staring at her bed with arms crossed and a confused look on his face. She giggles and he shoots her an unimpressed look. "What the hell is that?"

"Its a bed. You sleep in it. Its much more comfortable than a mat on the floor," she explains. Aia proceeds to the small fire pit in the floor and starts the flame beneath a kettle of water. "What kind of tea do you like?"

There is a dull thud behind her, causing her to become very alert and spin around. The view is more than enough to kill her with laughter. Kenpachi is sprawled sideways across the California king, one hand on the back of his head and a dissatisfied expression on his face. "I think your bed is too short for me."

Aia laughs wholeheartedly, stunned at Kenpachi's out-of-character action. "What did you do to end up that way?"

"I jumped," Kenpachi responds. "And then I hit my head on the wood bar."

From behind the bed, springs Yachiru. She lands on Kenpachi's stomach shouting, "KEN-CHAN! You're laying on it wrong!" After a few jumps across the monstrous bed, she gets off, pulls open a drawer from Aia's dresser and flees with the few remaining sweets that Aia had hidden for herself.

Aia makes her way to the bed and boosts herself up. "She's a sweet kid, you know. You're probably the closest thing she'll ever have to a dad." Aia lifts her ankle, and the bruising shines a bright purple in the lamp light. A fresh, white scar circles her ankle with tiny flares reaching upwards like flames. Kenpachi props himself up on his arms to see her battle wound, avoiding the topic of Yachiru.

"That doesn't look so bad." He reaches over and presses with two fingers on the pale, freshly healed skin. Aia throws her head back in a yelp and Kenpachi withdraws his fingers without apologizing. The "flames" on her ankle writhe around, the same as the tentacles of the hollow that Aia had battled and now Aia is completely laid back on the edge of the bed. But before he can say anything more or think of something to sooth her pain, the kettle shrieks, signaling that the water has finished boiling.

He slides himself down the side of the bed to the floor in front of the pit and pulls the kettle off the fire. Two small packages lay on the wood, beside him and he adds them to the cups and then pours the water. He serves the cups, one hand as a tray for both and Aia takes one in gratefully. She stirs with a finger, expecting to meet the bag of tea, but instead finds the paper of the packaging. "You forgot to open the packet, silly."

Kenpachi sighs, and does so without even a burn to his fingers. "I'm not used to your strange crap."

"This tea isn't as potent as others. You'll probably like it. Its a pumpkin spice flavor, so no mint or strong herbs." Kenpachi throws the entire cup full into his open lips and sloshes it around like mouthwash. Aia eyes him peculiarly, wondering why it doesn't burn. "Well?"

His eyes have become hard again, instead of curious. He gazes down at the woman in front of him and says, "Familiar." Aia clicks her nails on her cup, nervously and changes the topic to the other flavors she has but Kenpachi doesn't buy into it. "Who are those kids on the wall, Aia?" She tears her eyes from his and looks away, mumbling that it was just a picture she found. The room becomes tight and uncomfortable, but a knock at the door breaks the tension. Kenpachi opens the door and leaves without gazing at the new guest.

A puzzled, Izuru Kira bows at the door an announces that both captains, Retsu Unohana and Mayuri Kurotsuchi are ready to analyze her scar and run tests.


	5. Time Will Tell Ch 5 A Choice

Tatsuki Arisawa cannot believe her eyes. Yuzu has let in a stranger to their home, is completely convinced that they are related, and Ichigo is nowhere in sight. A tinge of fear strums her spinal cord. _Who is this man really? And what does he want? _The non-introduced man steps toward her, a book in hand. He reaches for the bookmark and his hair falls to the side, revealing a scar down the side of his face. "What was your name, again?" Tatsuki backs away, unable to shake the fear.

Her backside hits the door and she fingers for the knob, but the anxiety is worsening and her fingers will not function. _I've known the Kurosaki's all of my life. This person is not family._ Tatsuki wants to scream "Stranger Danger" but her vocal cords just as paralyzed as her fingers.

The door opens behind her and she falls backwards into Karin, Yuzu's twin sister. Taking her chance, Tatsuki dashes from the clinic and does not look back. And though she does not see it, the man has taken both Karin and Yuzu into a hug and grins in Tatsuki's direction.

Tatsuki can only think of one other choice, when suddenly a portal unlike any she has seen before pops up in front of her and sucks her into a vacuum of colors. After what feels like an eternity, she is hurled from the mouth of another opening in the portal. Her eyes take a long time to adjust to the setting sunlight and her vision has declined significantly. After rubbing the sore spot where she landend, Tatsuki gazes up to see Renji Abarai, school uniform and all, running towards her.

She raises a hand, but he passes her. In an attempt at shouting his name, her voice turns gravelly and nearly cuts off. Somehow he hears her, and though reluctant to approach her, the two quickly begin to see what has really happened.

The diagnosis is not simple. Aia closes her eyes as she hears Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Retsu Unohana speak of her injury. More than one time they have mentioned the term "life-threatening", and cannot seem to get away from speaking of how serious it is. Aia longs for someone to just tell her what the deal is already so she can go about her days and do what is necessary if she really is going to die.

A boy, pops up with an herbal tea and a small cake. His gaze is down at the floor, so to not make any contact, and she can hear him breathing heavy from beneath his medium length hair. "Are you okay?" she asks with a knowing concern. But the boy just shakes his head and shoves the plate even closer. "You know what they've said about me, don't you?"

He peers up, revealing himself to be Hanataro Yamada.

"I'll tell you what," proposes Aia. "If you tell me what they said out there, I'll tell you how to get Kiyone to notice you and quite possibly fall for you. She is the girl you have feelings for, right?" Hanataro shakes his head furiously and Aia points out that determination is something that Kiyone would love.

Hanataro explains to Aia the injury that she's acquired. Taishoku-ka was in fact a glutton so he was covered in stomach acid to quickly dissolve anything he wanted to eat. But his stomach acid also contained small orbs that, when broken, released even more powerful acid. The bubbles will only pop under pressure, but the digestion of Aia's leg was not the worst part. There is also a poison in the acid. If enough is released into the blood stream via the burst capsules, it will spread across her body like a disease and kill her. "They don't know how fast," Hanataro admits. "It could take just days. Or it could be years."

Hanataro looks away for a second and when his head returns, Aia is missing. A little note is left in her place, pre-written for specifically for Hanataro. Retsu and Mayuri come out to break the news to Aia, but by now, both Hanataro and their patient is gone, with nothing but tea and cake left behind.

Aia visits many people on her way back to her quarters. She stops to see Shuhei and Izuru who are sitting out on their favorite bluff. She stops to watch over Kenpachi as he lazes around under a tree and she finds it hard to leave. But beyond all things, she wishes to see one person and that is Jushiro Ukitake.

She finds him outside of the 13th Squad's quarters, trimming the trees. He seems to have no artistic sense at all, he is just snipping the branches for something relaxing to do. Jushiro smiles before Aia even approaches, his intuitiveness behind one of his many favorable features. A small twig lands in his long white hair, but he ignores it and takes a step in Aia's direction. "How are you on this fine day?" He is peppy, cheery, and all that lay in between. But Aia can not sum up that much enthusiasm.

"I don't really know, Jushiro. I have bad news, and I don't know what to do. To be honest... I'm scared."

He invites her in to his chamber for tea and a more private conversation and Aia wistfully accepts. The water has already been on for some time, as if Jushiro was expecting company so the tea is almost immediately ready when she walks in. He motions her towards a pillow and she takes it, along with a cup.

"Jushiro, when did you know that you were very sick?" Aia asks quietly.

Jushiro sips his tea before speaking. "It was a very, very long time ago. I'm actually surprised that I have lasted as long as I have. Why do you ask?"

Aia doesn't answer his question. Instead she continues her own train of thought. "If you had the chance to reverse your sickness, even if it meant you could get in severe trouble, would you?" Jushiro takes a moment to think. His eyes wander off in search of the correct answer because,even though it was an opinion question, Jushiro doesn't believe anything is as simple as "yes" or "no".

"I think," Jushiro starts, "that if I truly wanted my life, if I had something to do that death would stop me from doing, I would save my own life. But, I prefer not to be selfish. I would share my gift with others and save their lives before my own. Do you have something you wish to share with me?"

There is nothing more that Aia wants than to be able to confide in someone about her power. Not even Roka knows the secret of Aia's zanpakuto.

"You can confide in people here, you know that right? You've been here for a short while, but people trust you. You should return the favor. You know about Yumichika's zanpakuto secret. You know about Izuru and Shuhei's abandonment problems. You know that we all feel betrayed. Don't put us through that again."

Aia stands and withdraws her zanpakuto, aiming the blade at Jushiro Ukitake. "Okay. I'll show you my secret."


	6. Time Will Tell Ch 6 Secrets

Jushiro Ukitake had never seen so much color. They swirled about him, counter clockwise and pierced through his paper skin. He felt cool, like a breeze was blowing though every particle of his being. And it felt better than good.

The sensation was refreshing, like dipping yourself into the salty sea on a burning hot day, something Jushiro had not been able to do in a very long time. The breezy feeling left with the colors as they vanished into the air, but the renewal of his spirit remained.

He opens her forest eyes to see Aia above him. Her hourglass shaped shikai pierced straight through his throat. But it doesn't hurt like one would imagine. She withdraws the fragile weapon leaving no injury; not even a scrape is left behind where the infliction had been. He fingers the area, tries to cough, but the urge to remove blood from his infected lungs is no longer there.

He runs his hands over his chest where he can tell that his lungs are no longer swollen and tender. Jushiro Ukitake finally breathes with ease. He had dreamed and wished for the days when he could hold his own and inhale scents that were pleasing to the senses, but until now he had long forgotten the pleasures.

"What did you do to me?" he inquires with a voice that is no longer pain stricken.

But Aia does not respond. She can't. Instead, she falls to her knees. Do to every other emotion and feeling beside fatigue, she drops. Fear and elation bring tears to her eyes at the very thought of how much of her ability she has just revealed.

After a long moment, she whispers to her willing companion. "I brought your lungs back from death. They are the strong lungs from your early years as a shinigami, before your infection ever took play. I reversed their life time. Now your disease can be prevented."

Aia buries her face in he hands, knowing that she has just authorized her own death.

Her host is taken aback. A frightful look crosses his face as he, too, realizes what her gift means. "Never in a million years would we suspect time. We all believed your powers to be empathy. But your secret is safe with me. I will not speak to anyone of your talent because I know what it would mean. You should leave now, however, before someone comes to investigate the strange lights."

The tearful captain accepts her removal. She places her cup of tea near the fire and sees herself out of Jushiro's room, feeling stung but relieved. In some ways she pretends to be liberated. But the thought of execution looms above her head - a guillotine ready to drop upon her slender neck.

Captain Commander Yamamoto would not see her power as a gift, only a threat. He would kill her because he's already lost worse in the Gotei 13 and won. Aia is simply a small price to pay.

* * *

><p>Tatsuki Arisawa's once smooth and beautiful skin has become dull and coated in wrinkles. When Renji finally comes to help her up, her back will not straighten and every joint in her body aches. It takes her a moment to catch her breath before she can utter a crackly sentence. "Renji, what's happened to me?"<p>

Renji is befuddled. "Do I know you?" he asks, not sure how this elderly woman could know his name. _Maybe I've been careless?_

Renji holds onto the swaying woman's elbow, trying to help her keep her balance, but she seems to be too old to hold her own and instead of taking off, he stays. His phone beeps, announcing that a portal has closed somewhere in the area and he curses himself for being kind hearted and stalling. Soon he will get a call about his investigation, and there will have been none.

She takes two arthritic fingers and directs his eyes to look into hers. The hard brown of someone defiant is the only thing unaffected by her quickened aging process. Tatsuki tries to hold his gaze, but he looks away. "That's a little weird, old woman..." he mumbles. Then he gasps in shock as he recognizes who she really is. "Tatsuki?"

Her wrinkles shrink and grow as she shakes her head.

Without her having to say anything, he sweeps her ailing body up into his arms and bolts for the Urahara shop. Renji concedes that this could be his report and maybe a lead in his mission. And silently he wonders if there is anything that can be done for Tatsuki Arisawa, who appears to be on the verge of death.

* * *

><p>Zaraki Kenpachi cannot remember. No matter how hard he tries, no matter where his train of thought goes, the familiar taste of the tea still plays games at the back of his mind. He hates not remembering, and that his entire life is based off of make believe. His name isn't even truly his own.<p>

He cracks his knuckles by slamming them against a wall. The wall buckles beneath the pressure and an intricate spiderweb is left behind. Kenpachi wants to fight away all of his frustration, but no one of worth exists. Aizen, the Espada, Ichigo, they are all gone. Though he believes the answers will hardly suffice, with nothing better to do, he sets out to find Aia.

As he walks through one of the major gardens, he finds her exiting the courtyard of the 13th division. Her eyes are on the ground, katana partially out of the sheath, and she seems to be in a hurry. He follows her carelessly, though not heavy-footed. Kenpachi sees no need to hide himself, but Aia is too distracted to notice much of anything. _Could she look more suspicious?_

Aia heads back to her own quarters, not even removing her shoes before she enters her sanctuary. Kenpachi waits a few minutes before gathering the courage to re-enter, but when he knocks there is no answer. "Look! I know you're in there!" he growls in anger. He is fed up with the games. Still there is no response so he takes the liberty of opening the door himself.

Much to his surprise, the room is uninhabited. Aia is nowhere to be seen, her bed is untouched, and the stack of papers is right where he left it the previous day. Kenpachie curses under his breath as he walks around to the other side of her bed. He sits on it for a moment, then gets up and feels around the floor and walls to no avail. About to give up, he leans against one of the bed posts and a hidden door in the wall swings open.

"Well I'll be damned," he hollers in excitement. He then pursues Aia, hoping to corner her somewhere to get his questions answered.

The tunnel is without lamp light or any natural light. Kenpachi must feel his way down the corridor and hopefully find the correct paths to take. When he comes upon the first divide in the path, he chooses the tiniest one. It is just a little bit bigger than Yachiru sized, and as he creeps through, parks of the wall break due to his massive size. The dust tickles his nose, but he continues without allowing his body to sneeze.

The second division in the path is harder to choose. They are both the same size and there are no lights at the end. It seems that he will have to choose at random until he hears a slight echo. It reverberates down the tunnel to his right, a sound like grinding cement.

_Gotcha _he thinks evilly to himself. His pace quickens, getting faster and faster to reach the door at the end and catch her, but he doesn't think of how the door may be placed. He collides with a solid wall, hitting his nose, cheek and torso. The blood gushing from his nose brings him to a new level of defiance. He is ready to catch the woman red-handed and demand that she tell the truth this time. He fingers the walls around him, searching for a knob or a crack that could be the door, but finds none. And then he thinks for once. _Up._ He reaches up, finding the ceiling to be surprisingly close. And when the block of cement is cracked open, a blinding light smothers his senses until he can adjust.

After his body is through, he finds that he is not alone. But there is more than one person awaiting him. Three people and little Yachiru are within a massive, iridescent barrier that holds four hills and four trees.

Roka Tsubasa waves the confused fellow over to the edge of the barrier.


	7. Time Will Tell Ch 7 The Past

Kenpachi Zaraki cannot get through the barrier. His frustration builds as he sees Aia, Roka, Yachiru and an unknown woman laughing and talking. He cannot hear them or sense their spirit pressure, but he wants in. And no matter how many times he punches and curses at the "damn thing", it will not open and none of the other four will help him.

The flow from his nose has finally stopped, but dried blood caches itself on the collar of his ripped haori. After minutes of cursing, the unknown woman approaches him and begins to mimic his actions. She places her small rag doll between her knees and throws a fist to the air, just as Kenpachi does. This movement is meant to be a threat by him, but she giggles slightly, not feeling the tension. When Kenpachi stops moving all together, she pushes her face through the fortress.

"Calm down, silly," she laughs.

As Kenpachi speaks, she pulls the ugly doll back into her arms. It appears to be a purple monster, with one eye bigger than the other, and lopsided teeth. "Who the hell are you? Let me in. I need to have a word with Aia."

"I'm Hana. Don't curse at me, it hurts my feelings." Hana begins to rant like a child. Her train of thought wanders around, never stopping in the same place. "This is Gurp! Isn't he so adorable? He's my favorite color and we go swimming together all of the time. Have you ever been to the hot springs in the mountains? I saw a koi fish once. There's also a-"

"Cut the crap and let me in, Hana."

The childish female stops in mid sentence, a frown cursing her once beautiful face. "You can't come in til you're nice. And then you have to be peaceful. Angry, mean people like you can't get in. EVER!" With that said, she pulls her face back in and stalks off. Before she reaches the group, she turns, sticks out her tongue, and then continues back.

Kenpachi throws his arms against the barrier but is, again, rejected.

"Why don't you ever listen when people give you advice?"

Kenpachi flips around to see Aia standing behind him. Her garb is different that usual. Instead of the shinigami uniform beneath her haori, she wears a flowing pair of pants and a top that does not cover anything below her ribs. He is stunned to see her in such revealing attire. "I don't need your damn advice. That's why."

She steps around him, eying him up and down. "You know Kenpachi, you've changed. You don't care to admit it; you still have a hot temper; but you are very very different than when I first came here."

Kenpachi scowls, his inner bear returning. "What are you talking about?"

"You have an inner voice now – a conscience. You've always had one, but now you're listening to it. And if you take a few deep breaths, close your eyes and take my hand I can show you what made it start. Are you willing to do that?"

Truth be told, Kenpachi does not like being told what he's thinking. He does not like the fact that she is skirting around his anger with the precision of a con-artist. He starts to become angry, but she offers him her hand and his desire to take it becomes overwhelming. His large hand engulfs hers and she steps slowly towards the barrier. "Just breathe and focus on something other than your anger. Distract yourself."

And he does. He puts his eyes on the way her hips sway when she walks, on how her sunshine curls bounce up and down. She is engulfed by the shining wall, and with her she takes his arm – then his body. Then the very last spike on his hair slides in. The scents inside awaken a calm part of him that he didn't know existed. Kenpachi opens his eyes to a larger landscape than he thought was truly inside. The barrier is guarded on four sides by four hills topped with trees. The four valleys between the hills form a star shape in the center which could fit at least one hundred people.

"What is this place?" he asks silently.

"I've named it 'Les Quarte Piliers de la Renaissance' – meaning The Four Pillars of Rebirth. Hana has been so kind as to build it for me. Here, in this space I can harness my powers to the fullest."

Kenpachi glances around, his eyes glazed with calmness. "Why do I feel so... happy here?"

Aia points to Hana, "Its her. Her barriers are the most calm places. No one angry or threatening may enter, and once inside you feel peaceful. Its like being in a sugary coma."

He feels intoxicated. His normal thought processes won't go through. Instead he wants to drift off into sleep and let the scents of plums and peaches lap over his still body. The trees emit sweet, powerful aromas and he connects that this is where Aia's hair scent has really come from.

Aia moves herself in front of him and removes her katana. "Futatabi taimu no chichi o suikomanai" she whispers. The tip of the blade shines and slides downwards, turning it to crystal.

Now Kenpachi feels wide awake.

"Time?"

* * *

><p>Kisuke Urahara tirelessly runs test after test on Tatsuki Arisawa. Her body has been severely aged, her body crippled by arthritic pain, and her organs are not healthy enough to hold their own. He has her hooked up to tubes, monitors, and other things to collect data and make her a little more comfortable. Renji sits nearby, taking in information from Kisuke.<p>

"I've found some interesting things, but unfortunately there is nothing I can do to reverse her current state. There was some residue left on her, particles that speed up other particles. I've removed them and bottled them, so her aging process has returned to normal. But as you can see she's not in the best condition. Something sped up her cells, making them burn through their life cycles like she was locked in a room full of this stuff." He holds up a small bottle and tosses it in Renji's direction.

The bottle shines, giving off every color imaginable. The iridescence is nearly blinding to Renji so he sets it off to the side. He is running through his report in his head, about the portals, the discovering of the increased aging and the state of his only subject. Its a personal win for him in the shinigami realm, but here in the living world he feels guilty over not being able to protect Tatsuki.

_Who will be next? _He questions

Kisuke is still talking but Renji only half listens until he is handed a different cell phone.

"This one is faster. It predicts the opening of the portals based off of the air pressure and detection of that substance. You may even get there before it opens. I feel that if you were to be trapped inside, you may not age because of the gigai you use but I cant be sure if it can reach through the gigai or not. Just be careful it doesn't open up on top of you."

Renji nods and takes the piece thankfully, but his thoughts are still solemn and over Tatsuki.

* * *

><p>Kenpachi's eyes light up at the power of Aia's sword. She takes his hand and suddenly they are no longer in the meadow. They are standing in a scraggly part of Rukongai and something about it rings familiar with him. Two children, a boy and a girl, run past them and Aia begins to follow. She waves a hand, begging Kenpachi to come with, and he does.<p>

They stay in the shade of the trees, where the children cannot see them and watch as the scene unfolds.

The children in tattered cloths play on their own with sticks and stones outside of a shack deep in the woods. They play until the sun peeks just above the trees and then they settke down inside the doorway of the shack. They cling to each other, giggling and talking about the silly little things that children love.

The little girl suddenly becomes serious and stops to hold the boys face between her two, tiny hands. "Riki, look at me. Am I pretty?"

The little boy named Riki smiles widely and clasps her face too. "Of course I do! You are the prettiest girl in the whole wide world! I love you!" The girl refuses to smile though and both of them drop their arms.

She frowns a little and fiddles her hands until she admits why she asked. "I saw Zenshiro at the market today. He said I was dirty and ugly. He said I should go with him to his big, enormous house and take a bath but I said no because I wanted to come back here where you were sleeping still." She sighs heavily and then yawns, stretching her tiny arms out into the air. Riki suggests they get ready for bed but before they can get up, several boys and an older man ambush them.

One boy grabs Riki by his short, spiky hair. He nearly holds him off the ground. Riki struggles, but the boy is too big for him and he can do nothing to get away.

Another one grabs onto the girl, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. "Nice to see you again. I said you should come home with me. You should have gone before I got angry. Now lets go!" Her blond head thrashes and she kicks at him but its no use, her body is too small to do any damage to a boy twice her size. "This is the one I want, father," he says to the older man and he begins to carry her off. He instructs the four remaining teens that they can do whatever they please with Riki and begins to carry the thrashing girl off.

The four boys attack Riki all at once. But before he is consumed by fists and bruises, he cries out one last time.

"No! Please bring back my Aia! I love her!"


	8. Time will Tell Ch 8 Motions

_I spent my entire life, wishing I could go back to that moment and change it._

_I was forced into a one-sided marriage – literally picked off the street and wed at the age of only six. Zenshiro was not an ideal husband. He was forceful, vengeful, and expected me to be obedient. I recall every hit he laid on my body and how I did nothing to stop it._

_For years his father loomed above us – the mastermind behind every torturous bedroom session. He instructed every beating over any disobedience and my inability to bear a child. My evil father in law ran the show._

_I didn't see Riki for nearly forty years. And when I did, my obedient self stood by and let the strong-willed child in me take the lead. I rebelled, after seeing Riki roaming the streets with his pink-haired companion over his shoulder. I did the unthinkable, releasing myself from the grasp of Zenshiro and his father, only to find that Riki had been engulfed in the center of our afterlife._

_He was a shinigami, and I a murderer with no home and no hopes of ever getting in to the academy._

* * *

><p>Kenpachi says nothing. His face is twisted into a scowl and he stands, frozen and unwilling to do anything. Aia can do nothing but will him to speak to her. Her will does nothing.<p>

She reverts her shikai to an upright position and they are back to their own time, hidden within Hana's enchanted barrier. Roka, Hana and Yachiru are all sitting below one of the trees, conversing among themselves. Yachiru tugs at her hair and cloths, trying to sit still and focus. Aia moves to join them, but Kenpachi remains where he stands.

Aia makes it half way before she is grabbed from behind. Two brutally powerful hands clasp the tops of her shoulders, forcing her to stop walking. "You've been here a month and you never said anything? You confused me, upset me, lied to me and all for this?" Kenpachi spins her tiny body around with ease so that they can be face to face. She cannot read his emotions, as his face seems blank. "What happened, happened. I get that. But don't you think for two seconds that what occurred in the past is going to influence what happens now. We were children."

Aia chokes back a sob, knowing what he's getting at. Her hopes seem shot and then he asks what she was waiting for.

"What was your purpose in showing me this?"

It is hard for her to speak at first, but she clears her throat and avoids his eye contact to ease herself. "I had two motives, Kenpachi. If you can remember your name, your past, then you can advance your powers and maybe even connect better with your shikai. But I also wanted you to remember me."

He lets out a low, menacing growl from the deep in his chest. The growl alone frightens Aia – Kenpachi has never been angry with her before. "There is nothing wrong with my connection to my shikai. And I don't know how you could possibly fix such a thing. You think lowly of me because I'm a captain without shikai and bankai? Well you can go screw yourself."

Hana gazes over at the two, her eyes aglow with hazy purple light. A wave of energy crashes against each individual body and suddenly, all is quiet.

Kenpachi knows he is angry. But the sudden wave of peacefulness stops him mid yell. His arms slacken and release the woman in front of him. He wants to scream at her from the top of his lungs but words fail him and he just walks away, unable to fight like his usual Kenpachi self. He removes himself from the solitude of the barrier to the world outside. And instead of use the secret passage way, he decides to find the way back without it. Without reminders of Aia and his newly-found past, he figures he can clear his head and return to being the Kenpachi he was without them.

He cannot hear anyone on the other side of the glistening barrier as he walks. But Aia stands on the other side, dumbfounded and hazily sad. Her emotions will not surface completely and for once, this place of isolation makes her want to leave.

She collapses to her knees, wanting the tears to flow but they won't come. The numbness Hana has created will not allow her to entirely feel anything.

"I do not think lowly of you Riki," she whispers to the still blades of grass. "I only think lowly of your unwillingness."

* * *

><p>She is dying.<p>

Orihime kneels by Tatsuki Arisawa's motionless body. Except for the occasional breath, she does not make any noise and Orihimi's heart is about to break. The tears flow from a never-ending fountain of despair. Not even her Shun Shun Rika can heal her ailing friend. At this point, they are all helpless.

Renji has gone on another escapade to analyze a portal that has appeared in Karakura town. Kisuke Urahara is busy running his shop along with Ururu, Jinta and Tessai. She is alone and unable to to do a thing.

A door slides open behind her but she does not look until she hears Rukia's voice.

"Orihime, we need you to come with us back to the Soul Society. We've made some developments in Tatsuki's case, but we need you to testify on her behalf. Would you do that for us?"

The sobbing ginger wipes the tears from her face before looking up. She is sad, but still doesn't want to look like a baby. Renji stands with a hand extended and she accepts. She knows the portal will be below the shop, and takes one last glance at her friend. _I promise you, Tatsuki. We're going to save you. Please... Just hold on._

* * *

><p>Its been a while.<p>

Its been nearly 23 years since he last saw those flowing blonde curls and emerald eyes – the hair and eyes that _he_ owned and will own again.

She stands, slight, with her shingami katana slung around her back. She gazes around the shops and at the little children who play tag and chase each other around with broken toys with no idea that he looms above.

His invisible body shudders in anticipation but he convinces himself to wait. If he waits, she will be with others, she will be exposed, and she will be his once more.

* * *

><p>"And so you see, when there is an influx of time here, meaning a reversal or retraction, there is the opposite posed in the world of the living. An inflow of time, concentrated amounts, cause a portal to open and speed up time within that area. This also works the other way around. We still don't know where the time fluxes are coming from, but we see this as a major development in my mission." Renji finishes with a bow, allowing the new Central 46 to collaborate.<p>

The voices that answer are a multitude of different tones, coming from multiple people hidden behind numbered slates. Their sounds are accusing, however, and in that they all sound the same.

"The law fully states power over time is a punishable offense, due to the serious nature of the power itself. Time cannot be controlled by any one person. Clearly someone has discovered a power but lacks the strength to keep the side affects under control. They must be found and eliminated immediately. Our message will be relayed through the Gotei 13 via hell butterflies. You are dismissed and removed from your duties in the living realm, but we expect you to continue your service here. You may not see yourself from Central."

The trio exit, through a tiny, concrete door which slams behind them. From here, they can do nothing but wait and hope that the person can be found to reverse Tatsuki's frail state.


	9. Time Will Tell Ch 9 The Reveal

By now, everyone has heard. Everyone has their eyes peeled for someone with "out of the ordinary" strengths that entitle being able to control time. All new, unestablished recruits to the Gotei 13, school members who are training to get in and anyone who's gifts are not yet completely known are being registered for tests which Mayuri Kurotsuchi has deemed especially painful. Unless the person stands up and reveals themselves, each and every individual person will suffer.

Aia knows it's a classic trick. They hope that the person will have a heart and come out before anyone gets hurt. Its also very effective in this case, because the true culprit _does_ have a heart and has vowed to save others with her gift, even if it means death.

She walks along the balcony of her quarters, headed for the office of the high chief, Captain-Commander Yamamoto. She is going to spill everything, confess that she has been hiding the powers of time and relieve the tension held above the heads of all who are scheduled to be examined. She rationalizes with herself that "all efforts put into helping Riki were in vain". She knows that Kenpachi, Riki, whatever he will go by, will try to keep his battle-ready ways and deny any help in the process.

Her heart quivers in fear and she walks herself to her death. But she can hear their whispers, see them make bets on who it is, she can feel the tension and unease that previous colleagues now feel for their peers. Apparently she didn't know how to control her shikai power anyway. What is a savior and captain if they cannot properly perform their duties? Nothing but a pain.

Before she reaches the squad one barracks, she is greeted by another message from the hell butterflies. There has been a sighting of the same hollow that she supposedly got rid of, and now she must attend a meeting so that orders for action can be given.

Though she is right outside, she is the last to arrive. She doesn't rush because her death is already certain. Flash-stepping to a meeting wont make much of a difference anymore.

She takes her position and Kenpachi stares her down like never before. There is an unusal amount of tension between each captain, and its because Roka and Aia are attending – the Captains which are new to the shinigami world and whose powers have yet to be completely understood.

Yamamoto Genryusai becomes the center of attention for most of them when he slams his cane into the ground. His announcement is thus: those who failed to kill it the first time must try again. This means Aia and Kenpachi have been shoved into a fight together, where they are supposed to be allies. Aia looks to the friend she found in Jushiro Ukitake but his eyes are distant. He is not entirely with the captains or at the meeting. Aia has no one but Roka now.

She steps backward, flash-stepping and arrives near her squad quarters. Izuru and Shuhei are both in the office tackling paperwork together. Roka arrives right behind her, and puts a hand on her forearm. He doesn't need to say anything at all. She can hear him in her head.

_"What are you going to do now?"_

She vocalizes the response instead of respond mentally but it's not meant for just Roka anyhow. Her voice is feint, almost nonexistent. "We're to go back and finish what we started. Please lets get this over with."

The two lieutenants move their eyes from the papers to gaze at the out-of-character captain. Her face is puffy as if she has been crying, but there are no tears in sight. They have no idea what Aia is capable of and it breaks her heart to have to leave them as a traitor, just like Gin and Tosen did. It was never her intention to hurt anyone. But it seems no matter how she approaches the situation, she will hurt someone.

* * *

><p>He can see her approaching.<p>

His jitters come back at the sight of the murderous broad and he can't wait any longer. He releases his riatsu so they can feel him there, but he does return to sight. As her and her three companions near, they are hit with the riatsu and they slow their gait. They cannot see him, just as he wanted.

The hidden creature grinds his teeth as he breaks into a sprint. The moment to seize her has finally arrived and her wraps an invisible arm around her neck and drags her backwards. She thrashes at her unseen enemy.

"Finally," he roars. "And now! For the reveal."

His body withdraws color from the spirit particles in the air around him. They snake around his body, squeezing and finally connecting with his form. He does not look like a hollow because Zenshiro was once just a simple human soul.

"Long time no see, Aia Nenhaku. I wish you would have kept my last name, you could have been considered a noble." He runs his teeth along her neck, causing her to flail harder. He gazes up at her friends, his long tongue slithering about his lips. "Did you know she was a murderer?"

Shuhei and Izuru let their strong facades falter for just a moment. Roka remains silent and resilient.

"She is my wife."

His words spread like a poison gas through the air, everyone feels like they are about to choke.

"But little Aia here wanted out, and to do it she killed my father and ran. But she also did something to stop me from coming after her. You want to know what that is?"

By now, Kenpachi and Ikkaku have arrived behind Aia's group and Yumichika has decided to tag along this time. Kenpachi's subordinates remain side by side but Kenpachi walks closer to Zenshiro and Aia.

"Oh hello, little Riki! But you don't go by that anymore. Do you, Kenpachi Zaraki?"

Kenpachi slings his battered katana over his right shoulder. "Shut up Zenshiro. If it weren't for you and your idiot groupies I wouldn't be here right now. Let Aia go so we can battle and you can die."

Zenshiro cackles in amusement. "I'm not done yet. I will not die until Aia has been condemned to the same fate." He is about to unveil Aia's secret when he lets her go.

Blood gurgles from the corner of his mouth as a white, hot pain slides from the base of his neck down his back. As he falls to the floor created by his riatsu, still mid air, Jushiro Ukitake is no longer hidden. His katana is drawn and he is in battle stance.

He resumes a respective stance and announces to the group of seven. "I was never here." In a fraction of a second he is gone. His duty to Aia for giving him his life back is not completely fulfilled, but Jushiro must leave because this is not his mission. Zenshiro's body is motionless when he leaves and stays that way while they all stare. Obviously if he is still suspended in the air, his riatsu is not gone and there is still some life left in him.

And then Zenshiro's body fades away. His spiritual pressure disappears along with his body and it appears that Zenshiro is no more.

But no one can relax because they've seen this gimmick many times. Zenshiro's voice surrounds them. No one can tell the direction. "Why don't you show them what you can do, honey? I have no doubt you can kill me. Show them how."

"Show yourself!" screams Aia. She has drawn her katana and released her shikai. The crystal hour-glass shape gleams in the sunlight. Aia has nothing left to lose - she's already doomed to die, her composure is lost and everyone standing behind her knows that she holds a secret.

"Do to me again, what you did to me before, Aia," he goads. His laughter makes the air seem heavier but what he says next makes everyone feel on the verge of collapse. "Turn me back into a baby and see which family takes me in this time, Aia. I look forward to coming back for a third time."

Aia releases a heavy breath. Now they all know. Now there is nothing left for her to do but kill Zenshiro and then bring herself in to die as well. Zenshiro's human head appears in Aia's face, but the rest of his body is replaced with a black, indefinite shape. He winks and a mask slides out of his gooey body over his head, showing himself to be Taishoku-ka, the glutton that she had sent into the past just days ago.

Many of Aia's peers hold back. They have seen the acidic properties of the hollow and know that they will just be dissolved, but Roka steps forwards and points a hand in Aia's direction as tentacles spread out and try to encompass the female's body. They surround her in an oval, surging and retracting, devouring her whole body.

Roka's fingers spread, and the oval gets bigger. Gaps in the tentacles reveal Aia still standing in the same position, alive, surrounded by a barrier. "You should do it now, Aia. Pull out your Bankai and get rid of him once and for all."


End file.
